1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to accessories adapted to be attached to a base section of trunking for routing electrical cables, and in particular to so-called xe2x80x9cfinishingxe2x80x9d accessories providing continuous protection of the cables where there are interruptions in the lengths of trunking closure cover section where a device is fitted, or at the end of the trunking, or at a corner.
The invention relates more particularly to an accessory adapted to be attached to a base section of trunking for routing electrical cables provided with a wall for concealing, inside the trunking, any longitudinal gap beyond at least one edge of at least one length of cover section.
2. Description of the Prior Art
French patent No. 89 11267, publication No. 2 651 387, describes an accessory of the above type, commonly referred to as a cover section joint, including a plane wall adapted to be positioned under adjacent lengths of cover section to close the gap that can occur between the cut edges of the cover sections if the lengths of cover section are not cut perfectly.
A cover section joint of the above kind prevents an object passing between the two lengths of cover section and provides continuous insulation so that the trunking continues to comply with the applicable standards.
Although a cover section joint of the above kind is entirely satisfactory, in particular in terms of the trunking complying with the applicable standards, and also in terms of the speed of fitting for trunking installers, who attach great importance to this parameter, it is not always satisfactory from the aesthetic point of view, especially if the trunking is relatively wide.
In this case the lengths of closure cover section are also relatively wide and all the more difficult to cut because the cut edge can be more askew.
Accordingly, the gap between the two juxtaposed lengths of cover section can be relatively large, clearly showing the cover section joint, so that the finished appearance of the trunking is somewhat unaesthetic.
To overcome the aforementioned problem it has already been proposed, especially in the case of relatively wide trunking, to associate the cover section joint with a joint cover covering the joint and the cut is edge(s) of the length(s) of cover section, which can then be cut without requiring the installer to take undue care.
To facilitate fitting the joint cover, a joint cover support is used which generally includes, at each end to be covered by a length of cover section, a step extending across its entire width and against which the cover section abuts.
A support of the above kind is described in particular in French patent application No. 97 15282, publication No. FR 2 772 200.
A solution of the above kind is satisfactory in terms of the system complying with the applicable standards, and also from the aesthetic point of view if the joint cover reproduces the external appearance and colorway of the cover section of the trunking.
However, if the cover section of the trunking carries a decorative pattern formed either when extruding it or by reworking it, for example by applying a covering imitating various textures, such as the textures of wood, stone or other materials, the presence of an injected joint cover at the interruption in the cover section, even if its colorway is coordinated with that of the decoration of the cover section, is not always to the taste of the installer, who will prefer to fit contiguous lengths of cover section cut carefully to the appropriate length.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,402 describes a joint to be positioned between two lengths of cover section, with no joint cover, the joint having substantially the shape of a podium with a junction part flush with the outside surface of the lengths of cover section and a sealing part under the lengths of cover section.
The junction part, which can constitute an abutment surface for an edge of a length of cover section, is bolted to the sealing part. Thus it cannot be removed at will, for example to fit contiguous lengths of cover section.
Compared to the aforementioned prior art, the present invention proposes a new accessory, adapted to be attached to a base section of trunking for routing cables, which is simple to manufacture, of low cost, and which provides the installer with a marker for positioning the cut edges of lengths of cover section or other elements to be juxtaposed along the length of the base section, enabling the cut edges to be covered with a joint cover, or not, according to the care that the installer wishes to take in cutting the cover section or other elements to lengths, and according to the required aesthetics of the installation as a whole.
According to the invention, the accessory adapted to be attached to a base section of trunking for routing cables is more particularly provided with a wall for concealing, inside the trunking, any longitudinal gap beyond an edge of a length of a cover section, the wall including an effacable projecting finger at the front, i.e. a finger adapted to be cut off or bent.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, when there is an interruption in the closure cover section of the trunking that requires an installer to cut the cover section to length, and if the installer wishes Lo install a joint cover, the projecting finger on the wall of the accessory mounted on the base section is used to measure the appropriate lengths of cover section to be cut, so that the cut edges of the lengths of cover section, when mounted on the base section of the trunking, are located against the projecting finger, there remaining between them at most a gap the same width as the finger.
Clipping means of the joint cover can then be passed through the gap to attach the joint cover to the accessory.
If the installer does not wish to use a joint cover, it is easy to cut off the projecting finger using a cutting tool such as side cutters, a knife or a saw.
Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the accessory according to the invention are stated hereinafter.
The finger is formed in one piece with the wall and is adapted to be bent.
This latter feature is particularly advantageous if the installer cuts a length of cover section so that it abuts edge-to-edge with another element juxtaposed to it along the length of the base section. In this case, when fitting the length of cover section to the trunking, the projecting finger of the accessory mounted on the trunking is pushed back under the length of cover section covering the accessory.
A hinge of the finger can be operative between one edge thereof and one edge of a window in the wall receiving the finger.
The finger can advantageously include on one free edge at least one lug adapted to abut against the rib provided on the wall to immobilize the finger when it has been effaced.
The joint cover according to the invention can have on an inside face that faces towards the wall of the accessory a rib adapted to push the finger back into the wall when it is fitted.
In another embodiment of the invention, the joint cover can have on its inside face that faces towards the wall of the accessory a housing to receive the projecting finger of the wall when it is fitted.
The accessory according to the invention can constitute a cover section joint mounted transversely on the base section of the trunking to assure continuity between two overlying lengths of cover section and can also constitute a trunking termination with a flange carrying the wall so that it is transverse to the flange.
Finally, it can also constitute a corner, a branch or a support for mounting an electrical device to be attached to the base section of the trunking.
The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of non-limiting example, explains in which the invention consists and how it can be put into effect.